Dawoud Bey

When EXPO Chicago started in 2012, the popular opinion was that President and Director Tony Karman had five years to make this fair great. If he couldn’t, it was likely dead in the water. This weekend marked year three of the midwest fair, and exhibitors and attendees remarked on the palpable momentum. 19 Chicago galleries participated, the highest number yet, and EXPO continued to draw galleries from around the world, including repeat exhibitors like New York’s CRG Gallery who has been on board all three years, and Diana Lowenstein Gallery of Miami, who has been exhibiting at Chicago fairs every year since the 90s.

If fair overload doesn’t kill you this week, the events will. Get ready for the Whitney Biennial, the Last Brucennial, and a throwdown show by Anthony Antonellis at Transfer this weekend. Don’t count on sleeping this week.